(2) Rose is an epic disaster on me unless the fragrance is blended so well I can't pick it out individually. Rose and honeysuckle both give me raging headaches. I also am mortal enemies with iris (except in L'Air du Desert Marocain, apparently), and I don't care for lavender. I also don't do well with Guerlains as a general rule (HERESY, isn't it? ), with Apres L'Ondee being the exception. Gardenia and carnation are hit and miss on me. Hyacinth is generally good.

Re: Need Help Finding a "Dark" Floral for Early Spring

I'm an amber/incense/spice/vanilla lover, too, so I've been on the same quest. The last couple of months I've really been rotating between Guerlain's Nahema, Chanel's No. 5 Sensual Elixir, and Robert Piguet's Visa. I'll sing Visa's praises to the high heavens if even slightly encouraged. I think the modern version is fab, all rich, decomposing pears with enough vanilla and sandalwood in the base to make me smile all day.

I tink 24, Faubourg is good at this time of year, too, although I'm not sure you could call it "dark". And one perfume I've tried recently that I enjoyed a lot was Winter Woods from Sonoma Scent Studio. It's very woody (obviously!) but it turns engagingly creamy in the drydown. More than worth sampling, IMO.

Re: Need Help Finding a "Dark" Floral for Early Spring

You seem to have already picked up most of the perfumes satisfying your requirements.

I would add the Tubereuse series by Histoires des Parfums. If helychrisium (immortelle) qualifies as a flower, I'd add their 1740 as well, and Sables by Goutal (I'll leave you to decide whether it does).

And +1 for Visa - as a man, I find it hard to wear, it's too sweet, but it's definitely worth.

Re: Need Help Finding a "Dark" Floral for Early Spring

Second Le Temps d'Une Fête, green narcissus, not dark but somewhat dirty/animalic, a glorious spring fragrance;
and Azurée, which is a gorgeous, herbal leather with jasmine on me and might qualify as dark, although that is not the first word I would choose to describe it.

Re: Need Help Finding a "Dark" Floral for Early Spring

What about Lumiere Noir from MFK going more darkness around rose than Citizen Queen or Lyric W from Amouage. Going further in the dark floral teritorry I think Maroc pour Elle(Andy Tauer) could have a chance

Re: Need Help Finding a "Dark" Floral for Early Spring

Re: Need Help Finding a "Dark" Floral for Early Spring

Originally Posted by Master-Classter

ah, you're killin' me here.

Same here! I saw the title and immediately thought Narcisse Noir. We have a little bit in common, ExtremeKF. I don't do well with Guerlain, either (Mitsouko is my exception) and roses are difficult for me, too (though my mind is open.) Fracas might not be your thing since you said no aldehydes. So I second Jasmin Noir and recommend Bath & Body Works Velvet Tuberose and EL Amber Ylang-Ylang.

Re: Need Help Finding a "Dark" Floral for Early Spring

Puredistance Antonia is definitely an early spring scent, although it's not dark. I just bought my wife a bottle because I was so blown away with this masterpiece. A little goes a long way. 25% concentration. You will die and go to heaven. May I suggest a light panty liner when wearing Antonia, you may get over excited.

Re: Need Help Finding a "Dark" Floral for Early Spring

I'll second black aoud and third jasmin noir

it's not really dark, but I could easily see you liking guerlain samsara. it doesn't get much talk and appreciation in BN so maybe you haven't tried it, but it's a nice soft and sultry mix of jasmine sandal and vanilla with a slight spicy kick.

givenchy ange ou demon is a bit sparkly, but you may like that as well.

Re: Need Help Finding a "Dark" Floral for Early Spring

Originally Posted by thebeck

Puredistance Antonia is definitely an early spring scent, although it's not dark. I just bought my wife a bottle because I was so blown away with this masterpiece. A little goes a long way. 25% concentration. You will die and go to heaven. May I suggest a light panty liner when wearing Antonia, you may get over excited.

+1 for Samsara! l know you said you don't do so well with the Guerlains, but have you tried this one?

​​"What is this secret connection between the soul, and sea, clouds and perfumes? The soul itself appears to be sea, cloud and perfume..." - from Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis.

Re: Need Help Finding a "Dark" Floral for Early Spring

So, it's a full month later, and I think I've finally finished my research (yes, that's both the lawyer and the "extreme" in me....)

I want to thank all of you for your great suggestions and patient humor in the face of my pickiness. I did give you fair warning, after all.

A couple of initial thoughts: I have previously tried Jasmin Noir (enjoyed it but somehow not enough oomph -- I found it nearly transparent), Samsara (nope, can't do that Guerlain, either), and Black Aoud (Ack! The roses! They're KILLING me!). I didn't care for them, but they would all certainly qualify as dark florals.

The idea of Nahema is a good one and, of course, I second the Mitsouko suggestion. For dark, dark floral try Tom Fords Black Orchid Voil de Fleur, the fragrance with a half life of twelve hours.

Nick, you and I seem to share many great fragrance loves, but I must part ways with you on Mitsouko. I just don't care for it, and, no matter how many times I go back to try again, I just can't wear it. I would have previously chalked that up to my own character flaw, but the lovely BN community has assured me that, despite this gaping hole in my fragrance wardrobe, I'm good enough, I'm strong enough, and, darn it, people like me!

Nahema has two strikes against it: it's a Guerlain (yes, the entire house is problematic for me -- it must be that "Guerlainade" everyone talks about) and its primary note is rose. The only thing worse on me than iris is rose. Not to mention the blinding headache a prominent rose note gives me.

With iris and rose out of the running as primary notes and Guerlain also out of the picture, this dark florals quest was more difficult than one (i.e., any reasonably sane person) might have otherwise expected.

However, Nick, we're back on track with Voile de Fleur -- I own a full bottle of it and LOVE it.

Re: Need Help Finding a "Dark" Floral for Early Spring

So, all of my dark florals samples have arrived, and I've been doing some sniffing, but today is the first full wearing. I chose Parfumerie Generale Psychotrope for the promise of jasmine and leather.

It started out with a very sharp green note -- not a mossy green, more like a leaf green. And it stayed that way for about 4 hours when a little bit of jasmine made an appearance and gave the green a more watery effect. For something that's just supposed to be a top note, the green note has real staying power.

Unfortunately, the leather has never, not once, not even a little bit, made an appearance. At least not on me.

This is more of a light spring floral -- OK in its own right, but not really my thing and not what I was looking for.